Professor Harald zur Hausen is a renowned German virologist. In 1976, he published the hypothesis that human papilloma virus plays an important role in the cause of cervical cancer. He then identified HPV16 and HPV18 in cervical cancers, which are the cause of 75% of cervical cancer cases globally, while cervical cancer is both the fourth-most common cause of cancer and the fourth-most common cause of death from cancer in women globally. Professsor Harald zur Hausen’s discovery led to the introduction of a vaccine to combat HPV in 2006 and the use of HPV DNA testing as a primary cervical cancer screening technique. Today, the vaccine and the technique are globally widely applied and have potentially saved millions of lives and greatly improved human health.

For this significant contribution of bettering human well-being, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology in 2008. He’s also received the Canada Gairdner International Award, the Grand Federal Cross of Merit, Robert Koch Prize, Charles S. Mott Prize, Paul-Ehrlich-und-Ludwig-Darmstaedter-Preis, and AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research. In 2013, he was awarded the 2013 Society for General Microbiology Prize Medal for “work that has had a far-reaching impact beyond microbiology.”

Prof. zur Hausen has made substantial efforts in linking research to practical benefits of the people and in communicating science to the greater public. While being the Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Centre for twenty years, he led the Cancer Research Centre to step up its cooperation with the University Hospital, which assured close linkage between basic research and clinical medicine so as to transfer research findings to the field of medical care as quickly as possible. In 2010, Professor zur Hausen became the president of the German Cancer Aid, the leading organization fighting cancer in Europe. Professor zur Hausen’s contribution to science has won him higher and higher recognitions by the society, and many universities have awarded him honorary degrees; joining them today to pay respect to Professor zur Hausen’s significant contributions to the world is Macau University of Science and Technology.

He conquers cancer and saves lives; he has greatly bettered women’s health; he is Professor Harald zur Hausen. In recognition of his great contributions to bettering human health, may we please invite Dr. Alexis Tam Chon Weng, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao S.A.R., to confer Honorary Doctor of Science upon Professor Harald zur Hausen.